I Have Elbows Made Of Steel

Just wanted to thank you for this thread. I suffered from Golf Elbow in my left arm and Tennis Elbow in my right arm. Tried just about everything for months with no success. Found this thread and thought "might as well try it". It has worked wonders for both of my elbows. I signed up for this forum just to post this comment.

The elbow brace has two plastic pieces that hold your arm in place from both sides and seem to isolate your arm & reduce tearing. I have used other bands in the past but none that had such a positive impact on my elbow. I highly recommend this brace.

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For the past year, I have had numerous issues with the elbow, and I suspect that the Band It (or improper use of it) may have contributed to one.

My story is a bit long, and I won't try to recount it here. (At the present, I believe I have three localized issues: tennis elbow, tricep tendinitis and ulnar neuritis).

But regarding the Band-It, I began wearing it after getting a cortisone shot (which was meant to alleviate discomfort in the forearm area, supposedly related to traditional tennis elbow). My orthopedist suggested that I wear the Band-It fairly tight and, for a while, during the day as well as while playing.

Around this period of time, I began noticing issues relating to the ulnar nerve. A later examination confirmed ulnar neuritis.

This could be a complete coincidence. But I have read enough to know that external pressure on the ulnar nerve - such as leaning on that part of the elbow - can lead to ulnar neuritis. So, I can't help but wonder whether the Band-It (which has one plastic piece that fits right around the ulnar nerve) played a role. I'm not knocking the device. It could be that I simply wore it too tight.

Incidentally, I probably should add that I also wonder whether another contributing factor to the ulnar neuritis might have been overdoing stretches/exercises meant to address TE.

Starting about 3 weeks after my cortisone shot, I was going to PT and doing the typical TE stretches/exercises at home as well, including with the Flexbar some noted in this thread. I was doing this on a daily basis, which might have been more than appropriate.

ttwarrior:
I just read your post and am battling TE now. I get to the gym maybe twice a week or even less frequently. Any suggestions with barbells/dumbells that I can do at home in between weight machines at the gym??
thanks

The technique is legitimate. You look for two things. First, you want to get a good pump in the area. Second, you want to get a really good burn (i.e. lactic acid) in that as well. It takes some patience and it helps to have frequent sessions (5x-a-week.)

I am having a nagging tennis elbow, not GE, probably due to too much windshield wiping on the forehand. I did the cable push down with rope attachment, very slowly with just enough weight comfortably. I think this exercise is like stretching the elbow w/ the flex bar to get enough blood flow to the area and at the same time make it stronger. And it seem to help after a few days working out.

There are several recent threads on TE and GE. Some have very clear descriptions and illustrations, especially the replies by Charliefedererer.

I have mentioned in recent TE & GE threads that Dr John Cianca has described that an acute tennis elbow injury if stressed for more than a few weeks can heal in a defective way on the microscopic level. A permanent chronic condition can result. I believe that description and it has determined what I will do if I feel some tennis elbow or golfer's elbow pain - stop tennis and other stressful activity.

How can these microscopic tendon fibers heal properly if you are hitting tennis balls in the same way that caused the injury?

"Ive given this advice to don mattingly, scott rolen, kevin hardy, walter mccarty, tony delk, . I was also on the house of pain ironshow to teach about this technique and so far ive had 100 percent success rate. Give it a try"